ATH-AD2000X

If you like FPS games, Jpop/Jrock AND especially JP/Asian female vocal, I would recommend the AD line from Audio Technica (the one I use is AD900X).  AD700X more for gaming and AD900X (and above, i.e. AD1000X, AD2000X and the non-X variants) for music. The AD line is unbeatable for JP female vocal and has really great soundstage and imaging that people claim these headphones give you wall hacks. Warning that bass on these headphones are on the lower-end so you may want to demo them beforehand.

Looking to get some side/upgrades to some pretty old gear at this point, mostly for fun. --- For headphones, I currently just use ATH-AD2000s for all my daily PC needs + music. My bits of research led to Focal Clear or Aurorus Borealis. Both are a little pricey considering I don't think I'll be able to try either of them out before purchasing, so I'm watching for a used Borealis mostly. I found a lot of mixed opinions on cheaper headphones (with respect to similar sound signatures to the AD2k), but is there anything else that I should look out for / try first? --- For IEMs, I'm using some super old Acoustune HS1551s. I like them, but am interested in trying something newer / more modern. The Softears Volume (or Volume S?) look pretty neat as upgrades, but is it big enough to warrant the purchase? I'm not in a super big rush here, so I could try a handful of recommendations in Tokyo in a couple months? --- Source for the headphones: Picking up a cheap used Asgard 2 to replace my Magni 3+. Modi 3+ will stay. For IEMs, I still plug into my phone but I'm not opposed to a DAP. Location: CAN/US, but can pick up in Tokyo if I delay. Music pref is pretty much mostly female-fronted jpop/jrock, which is why I was led to the above options. It seems that bright headphones didn't get as popular as IEMs did in the past few years?

Yes the R series is the successor to the AD series. The R70xa is supposedly better and cheaper than the Ad1000x/ Ad2000x. With redesigned impedance curves and frequency response. Never particularly liked the ad series, but from the few minutes I had with the previous r70x model, it does seem to be better. Anyway, I’d also put the 490 on top, but everything is subjective :)

Planars are great. But if gaming is your main criteria, stick with dynamic drivers. Beyerdynamic 9 series (900 pro X, 990 pro, 1990 pro) Sennheiser 600 series ( hd600, 650, 660, 660s, 660s2, and including the 490pro) and 500 series ( hd560s is one of the most recommended options for gaming around here), Some of the audio technica ath-ad models. Specifically for competitive fps games, these are pretty much the best options out there at reasonable prices. Adding an amp like the Fiio k5 you mentioned is also a good idea with most of these. I personally like Sennheiser more because I listen to more music than I play video games, but I occasionally get called a cheater in r6 with my old hd600 + Fiio k11. If you don’t care about music or other media, the beyers should technically be even better.

My last trip, I've bought: Denon AH-D7200 Sennheiser HD660s Shure SRH1540 Tago Studio T3-01 Audio Technica ATH-AD2000X (New) Previously I've picked up Sony MV1 and Audio Technica ATH-R70x. All of them are used except the AD2000x. And even though almost all of them has a long list of "issues" (mostly cosmetic or "smell") and carry a B grade price (i think they grade them in S, A, B and C), they were all probably better condition than the headphones i have at home. So out of two trips, I basically double the number of my collection. Good job my partner is also a music lover so she claimed a few of them for herself to use.

I’ve been on a journey, I do enjoy my studio monitors quite a bit, I also truly enjoy car audio due to is pure immersive experience, but headphones or IEMs through the right gear is magical. The LCD-GX EQd on the Qudelix gave me this experience. The Alpha and Omega Ra on the new Muse M6 Double gave me this experience last night. I think it’s harder to find that experience with iem as they do not engage the whole body like speakers and car audio do. Openback headphones in general offer such an amazing experience overall. I still daily my ATH AD2000x that have to be at least 10 years old by now. Glad you got to experience it!

I’m still rocking my ATH AD2000x! Love audio technica :)